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real estate software / uk database design | property management software
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Property Management Database
Commercial Database Software
There are currently over 40 commercial management
software systems aimed at the UK property market. These are systems
which are sold and supported directly in the UK; there are many
more available in the USA.
They vary from simple stand-alone solutions (even
free databases) up to extremely sophisticated packages which can
cost tens of thousands of pounds. Most of the databases in use cost
over £1,500 and many are over £5,000 (although there
are increasingly more lower cost solutions from £200 upwards).
They will obviously vary in functionality and
sophistication but can help with everything from simple recording
of standard property details through to property management and
powerful analysis of your database.
They are written specifically for property companies.
Standard 'contact management' or 'sales & marketing' databases
may not be applicable to estate agencies.and the methodology of
the property transaction also often requires a unique solution.
Why re-invent the wheel? If there is a solution
pre-written, why start trying to write your own or 'work around
problems' of another software package.
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Commercial agents have similar but unique
requirements of their managements systems, taking into account
the increased volumes of information covering property transactions.
Many companies rely on a number of disparate
packages or in fact, no packages at all.
Edwin Hill are a prime example of a company
embracing our technology to rapidly increase their efficiency
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Some of the main reasons and benefits for choosing
a commercial Databse package are:
- Experience:
The property databases are used by other Estate Agencies which
will mean you will benefit from their previous experience and
requests for functionality in the package.
- Cost: It
is often cheaper than writing your own system. This can be a contentious
issue (!) and is covered in more detail in sections below. But
for Estate Agencies with sophisticated requirements this is far
more likely to be the case than for the smaller Agency who might
only have simple needs. If a small organisation does have a volunteer
or employee who does know how to write a PC database then some
of the costs can be saved.
- Speed of implementation:
A pre-written system does not need to be designed by yourselves
and you should be up and running far more quickly than writing
your own.
- Support:
Most UK commercial packages offer UK support hot-lines and with
UK support staff who should understand both the property business
and their packages.
- Future-proofing:
Most commercial packages offer 'maintenance contracts' where you
can pay a set amount each year and receive enhancements and updates
of the package. This can be quite a benefit if a company keeps
on top of the latest technology as it will mean you can always
have the latest available system.
- User groups:
Many commercial suppliers have a user-group where you can exchange
ideas and add to a 'global voice' to talk to the supplier in case
of generic problems.
The potential downsides of commercial database
packages are:
- Cost: Many
of the property packages listed on the market will cost thousands
of pounds; certainly those with a good range of functions and
benefits needed for many serious UK Estate Agents' operations.
Plus support, training and any new hardware required. They can
be/seem expensive in terms of actual outlay. And those that are
far cheaper (from £200 upwards) are sometimes much more
limited in their functionality, user-friendliness, support and
so on.
- Functionality:
Can the package really do what you want? (There again, if it can
match 80-85% of your requirements then that is still good going;
you might want to ask just how important are the other needs you
have?)
- Over-complex:
Does the package do far more than you will ever require? This
is a common complaint about all packages in many industries. (On
the other hand, better to do too much than not enough?)
- Inflexibility:
How adaptable is it for you to adjust the package to your own
requirements? Can you add your own fields or write your own reports?
And how easy is it? What about the future when your requirements
might change; will the package still be able to meet your needs?
- Companies can go
bust! It is rare but companies can go bust, in which case
you are left with an unsupported system with nowhere to go for
enhancements.
- Enhancement requests:
Just because you ask for an enhancement you will not necessarily
get it. Commercial companies often tend to add new functions only
where they feel it will be beneficial to more than one specific
client (or, if we are sceptical, where they feel it will increase
sales…)
- Compatibility:
Less of an issue these days, but you need to ensure a package
is compatible with your existing or planned software and hardware.
And can it transfer data in and out to your printer and so on.
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